How to be a better parent than you had.

Some people take the negligent way their parents raised them to make things better for their children.

That is dificult but it can be done.

Here’s an article by Holly Brown on PsychCentral who writes on how to become the parent you wish you had.

BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR PAST

“When your past has been painful, you might spend a lot of energy trying not to think about it.

This type of repression can be very draining, and it diminishes the resources you need to be a parent yourself.

“Recognizing what you’ve been through and how it’s impacted you is a crucial first step to improving yourself, and your parenting.

You might want to enlist a therapist to do this, if you find it too frightening to go it alone.”

DON’T OVERCOMPENSATE

“Sometimes when we want so much to be good at something, we over correct. If your parent was very tough on you, you might be too lenient with your own children.

“If you were neglected, you might make your life fully revolve around your children, to their detriment and to yours (they can become self-involved, while you’re neglecting your other relationships and your self-care.)”

If you feel your parenting can use some upgrading, you have to look at yourself first. You have to know yourself.

You must discover what aspects of your parents job raising you (that you don’t like) came from your upbringing.